[Stardust]

COLD SPRING - Kentucky high school coaches ejected during a scrimmage or game have to serve three-game suspensions, while student athletes who are ejected must serve two-game suspensions.

Those penalties were increased this summer from two games for coaches and one game for athletes by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.

Angela Passafiume, assistant commissioner for the KHSAA, reported the change Wednesday to superintendents at a meeting of the Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services.

The change was made to Bylaw 11 - Practice of Sportsmanship.

"We needed to do something in addition to what we've been doing to re-emphasize good sportsmanship," Passafiume said.

Passafiume said Kentucky ranks second behind Florida in the number of disqualifications, though she noted that about half the states do not keep such statistics.

Kentucky coaches and athletes have combined for 4,500 ejections since 2004-05, including 668 last year.

Passafiume said, however, that the KHSAA may not be finished tweaking the bylaw.

"(Assistant Commissioner) Mike Barren is keeping track this year of whether the disqualifications are for unsportsmanlike conduct or by rule," Passafiume said.

Many would consider disqualifications by rule to be less serious. For example, she said a soccer player could get two yellow cards for his or her aggressive play on the field, such as sliding tackles, which would result in a disqualification and, ultimately, a two-game suspension. That would be the same suspension as for a player who is disqualified for cursing at a referee.

She said they are also looking at which sports most of the suspensions occur.

She said the data collected this year will be analyzed at the end of this school year. Bylaw 11 can be viewed at http://www.khsaa.org/handbook/bylaws/bylaw11.pdf.

[Tica]

Soccer is a key factor in the overall surge of ejections.

[willseeuntheHOUSE]

Shows the influence of the commissioner "ex-referree Tackett". Instead of holding referrees equally accountable , he chooses to increase the power of individuals that need more accountability. Some refs have enormous egos and love the power and attention. These few bad apples will abuse their new power and only draw more negativity to their profession.

[footballfever]

Shows the influence of the commissioner "ex-referree Tackett". Instead of holding referrees equally accountable , he chooses to increase the power of individuals that need more accountability. Some refs have enormous egos and love the power and attention. These few bad apples will abuse their new power and only draw more negativity to their profession.

I agree. Also if a player is ejected in the 1st quarter he will basically miss 3 games or 30% of the season. Basketball teams can play 30 games so that is the same as basketball player missing 10 games for ejection.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

The rules need to be different for the different sports. Because making a kid miss a fifth of his senior season is ridiculous.

[Stardust]

The rules need to be different for the different sports. Because making a kid miss a fifth of his senior season is ridiculous.

Agreed - BUT, What better deterrent????

[willseeuntheHOUSE]

Agree a good deterrant and the middle east cuts off hands for stealing. Sometimes a good deterrant is too harsh.

[Stardust]

Cut off the head and the snake dies. Athlete knowing that they will sit a 4th of their season just might not cross the line! Is that not the purpose of the rules! The suspensions are not meant for taking care of actions, it is designed to prevent them! I'm a coach, I support this 100%! Guarentee that coaches won't be so stupid either! Or if they do, then they deserve what they get!

[RunItUpTheGut]

On the first occurence, 1 Half suspension for football.
On the second occurrence make it 1 game.
On the third, make it 2 games.
On the fourth, make him done for the year.

[Stardust]

On the first occurence, 1 Half suspension for football.
On the second occurrence make it 1 game.
On the third, make it 2 games.
On the fourth, make him done for the year.

In 10 football game, you are going to give them four chances to be stupid! No way my friend, no way!

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

Football is a game where kids hit each other. Things get out of hand sometime if there is a fight make both kids sit out the rest of the game then sort it out on film later. Also make the refs accountable. The two biggest suspensions I have seen this year were Jarrell from Betsy Layne, and Spriggs from Paintsville. Neither deserved to be thrown out. And in Spriggs' case he walked away, but The KHSAA will not review the film anymore they just go with what the refs say.

[Stardust]

Football is a game where kids hit each other. Things get out of hand sometime if there is a fight make both kids sit out the rest of the game then sort it out on film later. Also make the refs accountable. The two biggest suspensions I have seen this year were Jarrell from Betsy Layne, and Spriggs from Paintsville. Neither deserved to be thrown out. And in Spriggs' case he walked away, but The KHSAA will not review the film anymore they just go with what the refs say.

There are scuffles every single game. I'm on the sidelines every week and refs do a tremendous job of handling things and keep things from escalating. We are talking about suspensions for players being ejected. In order to get ejected, you really have to do something stupid. That goes well beyond the hitting and scuffling that goes on in every game. So, if it crosses the line into being stupid - then they need not be back on the field. Everyone is making such a big deal out of this, but just how often do ejections really happen? Then think, how many games do you see people getting into scruffs and there are no ejections. This is not that common, and if it occurs, then sit them!

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

There are scuffles every single game. I'm on the sidelines every week and refs do a tremendous job of handling things and keep things from escalating. We are talking about suspensions for players being ejected. In order to get ejected, you really have to do something stupid. That goes well beyond the hitting and scuffling that goes on in every game. So, if it crosses the line into being stupid - then they need not be back on the field. Everyone is making such a big deal out of this, but just how often do ejections really happen? Then think, how many games do you see people getting into scruffs and there are no ejections. This is not that common, and if it occurs, then sit them!

I hate to say this but you guys probably have better officials up there than we do. I have seen some terrible groups of refs this year especially in class a.

[QBCoach]

Bad rule! If a football player is ejected he loses 20%of his season. If basketball player or soccer is ejected they miss 2 games it doesn't equal 20%! Punishes football harder.

If Soccer has the most ejections then they need more games.

[Stardust]

I hate to say this but you guys probably have better officials up there than we do. I have seen some terrible groups of refs this year especially in class a.

So players are tossed weekly?

[willseeuntheHOUSE]

Can't really agree with you Stardust, although I very much respect your opinion as a coach. Can't say over the years when I have watched games that the thought crossed my mind many times where I said "Wow that guy should be suspended for one third of the season". Give the refs some discretion to dictate a more or less severe degree of punishment. Have seen the time where the ref got caught up in the situation and was actually wrong in his initial call. A little latitude after tensions ease seems better to me. Our coaches are strongly opposed to this ruling.

[plantmanky]

I wonder what is gonna happen for wrestling coaches? Team gets 2 Team points taken away and Head Coach is ejected whether they had anything to do with it or not. I see serious issues with this ruling. What do the state Coaches Associations say about it?

[vundy33]

Cut off the head and the snake dies. Athlete knowing that they will sit a 4th of their season just might not cross the line! Is that not the purpose of the rules! The suspensions are not meant for taking care of actions, it is designed to prevent them! I'm a coach, I support this 100%! Guarentee that coaches won't be so stupid either! Or if they do, then they deserve what they get!

Sometimes that just doesn't work. Like having your teammates back. A good example was a JV game when I was a sophomore. Our QB had been hit with cheapshots all game, some called, some not. I had friends on Pike Central's team, and told them through the game to get their boys to cut that crap out, and also complained to the refs. They were even late hitting him and stomping on his ankles while we were on defense, he played Safety but was in on almost every play. If he had been taking cheapshots, then it'd had been much different and I would have grabbed him and tell him to square himself away and stop that crap, but this kid was a great player and person, and just wasn't that kind of player, even after he had been stomped on and late hit all game.

After we scored on a TD pass in the last minute of the game to win, he intercepted a Central pass and went straight to the ground, great move by a great player. Instead of running with it and risking getting stripped, he went down. We took the last snap of the game and took a knee...two Central linebackers came around the left side and nailed him, so late that he was back on both feet before the first guy even hit him. So, I jumped on one of the guys and started choking him...wasn't a moment kind of thing. I watched him nail my QB for the last time, and I made a conscious decision to choke the shit out of him..pretty simple.

He was my QB, a great player and kid, and a vital part of our Varsity defense, not to mention that he was one of my best buds. I tried to tell those boys, nicely and not so nice, to quit that crap all game. I brought it up to the refs 4 different times, and my coaches. Nothing was done, and as the game went on and he made more big plays, the more cheap shots they put on him. I can understand the feeling, I've wanted to rip a player's head off because he was doing so well against us...but I didn't let that happen dirty, I tried to rip his head off the right way, by running his ass down in the backfield for a loss or sack. Enough was enough, and I wasn't going to let these guys get away with trying to hurt my QB and friend. Simple as that.

I know that not every situation is the same, not even close, and that sometimes kids get thrown out because of bad calls, or because they do what I did, or because they get caught being a dumbass, dirty player...it's all different, and I agree that they should be dealt with severely to discourage this stuff as much as possible. But, I don't agree with this new rule...it's too much. Like PaintsvilleTiger said, the rules for each sport need to differ so as to not make a kid sit out for over a quarter of the season because of one call/play. Sometimes, you have to have your boy's back. And I don't want to see a kid miss 2 or 3 games because of that.

Can those of you that are for this see where I'm coming from?

[Stardust]

Again, I'm at a complete loss on this and something that no one has answered! How many times does this happen????? What if me to death, but seriously, is this a problem!!! In NKY, I have yet to hear of a single ejection! The last ejection that I have even heard about was Zeke Pike last year in the playoffs! Wow, everyone is getting hung up on something that is obviously under control! So, my issue is players need to continue doing what they are doing and refs are obviously handling games in such a manner that ejections are the exception and not the rule! So, if this puts one more reason for football players to find a way to get control, by God, the few ejections that occur will be even less going forward because no one will want to sit three games. Disagree all you want with the number of games, but if it prevents just one more stupid fight from occuring that obviously gets out of hand, then everyone on here needs to applaud it! As I said, these rules are not meant for disciplinary purposes, but prevention!

Why are there speed limits? It's not to give police officers something to do! It's meant to prevent accidents! People who disobey the speed limit, just like myself, deserve the ticket when we are caught! I should have known the rule! We need to stop making excuses for our student athletes and hold them accountable for their actions. They are going to have to learn how to do it anyhow! If you are ejected, the ejection reasons are the same! Thus, the length of time away from the game is fair. If a 20 year old or a 60 year-old hold up a bank, the are both getting 30 years. The 60 year old is not getting less because his number of days left on earth is less!

[Stardust]

Sometimes that just doesn't work. Like having your teammates back. A good example was a JV game when I was a sophomore. Our QB had been hit with cheapshots all game, some called, some not. I had friends on Pike Central's team, and told them through the game to get their boys to cut that crap out, and also complained to the refs. They were even late hitting him and stomping on his ankles while we were on defense, he played Safety but was in on almost every play. If he had been taking cheapshots, then it'd had been much different and I would have grabbed him and tell him to square himself away and stop that crap, but this kid was a great player and person, and just wasn't that kind of player, even after he had been stomped on and late hit all game.

After we scored on a TD pass in the last minute of the game to win, he intercepted a Central pass and went straight to the ground, great move by a great player. Instead of running with it and risking getting stripped, he went down. We took the last snap of the game and took a knee...two Central linebackers came around the left side and nailed him, so late that he was back on both feet before the first guy even hit him. So, I jumped on one of the guys and started choking him...wasn't a moment kind of thing. I watched him nail my QB for the last time, and I made a conscious decision to choke the shit out of him..pretty simple.

He was my QB, a great player and kid, and a vital part of our Varsity defense, not to mention that he was one of my best buds. I tried to tell those boys, nicely and not so nice, to quit that crap all game. I brought it up to the refs 4 different times, and my coaches. Nothing was done, and as the game went on and he made more big plays, the more cheap shots they put on him. I can understand the feeling, I've wanted to rip a player's head off because he was doing so well against us...but I didn't let that happen dirty, I tried to rip his head off the right way, by running his ass down in the backfield for a loss or sack. Enough was enough, and I wasn't going to let these guys get away with trying to hurt my QB and friend. Simple as that.

I know that not every situation is the same, not even close, and that sometimes kids get thrown out because of bad calls, or because they do what I did, or because they get caught being a dumbass, dirty player...it's all different, and I agree that they should be dealt with severely to discourage this stuff as much as possible. But, I don't agree with this new rule...it's too much. Like PaintsvilleTiger said, the rules for each sport need to differ so as to not make a kid sit out for over a quarter of the season because of one call/play. Sometimes, you have to have your boy's back. And I don't want to see a kid miss 2 or 3 games because of that.

Can those of you that are for this see where I'm coming from?

I get you! But retaliation comes with a penalty. If you retaliate because someone did something to your family member, you are still going to pay for the crime, and probably more so than the person who offended your family member. I'm not making light of it, but the reality of it is that if you are ejected for a sporting event then it's an ejection because you crossed the line of the rule! In real life, we can't take retaliation into our own hands in the course of the law without being punished based on that law. So, I guess you can't on the sporting field as well. It might make you feel good in the short run, something that I would do as well, but to expect that you are not held accountable for, and disciplined harshly for it comes with the territory!

[vundy33]

I get you! But retaliation comes with a penalty. If you retaliate because someone did something to your family member, you are still going to pay for the crime, and probably more so than the person who offended your family member. I'm not making light of it, but the reality of it is that if you are ejected for a sporting event then it's an ejection because you crossed the line of the rule! In real life, we can't take retaliation into our own hands in the course of the law without being punished based on that law. So, I guess you can't on the sporting field as well. It might make you feel good in the short run, something that I would do as well, but to expect that you are not held accountable for, and disciplined harshly for it comes with the territory!

I get ya. Hopefully this does make kids think twice about doing something to get thrown out of a game, so we don't have boys missing two+ games.

[cuppett777]

On the first occurence, 1 Half suspension for football.
On the second occurrence make it 1 game.
On the third, make it 2 games.
On the fourth, make him done for the year.

if they get to the 3rd or the 4th time they have a bad problem and needs to get help,lol

[willseeuntheHOUSE]

Again, I'm at a complete loss on this and something that no one has answered! How many times does this happen????? What if me to death, but seriously, is this a problem!!! In NKY, I have yet to hear of a single ejection! The last ejection that I have even heard about was Zeke Pike last year in the playoffs! Wow, everyone is getting hung up on something that is obviously under control! So, my issue is players need to continue doing what they are doing and refs are obviously handling games in such a manner that ejections are the exception and not the rule! So, if this puts one more reason for football players to find a way to get control, by God, the few ejections that occur will be even less going forward because no one will want to sit three games. Disagree all you want with the number of games, but if it prevents just one more stupid fight from occuring that obviously gets out of hand, then everyone on here needs to applaud it! As I said, these rules are not meant for disciplinary purposes, but prevention!

Why are there speed limits? It's not to give police officers something to do! It's meant to prevent accidents! People who disobey the speed limit, just like myself, deserve the ticket when we are caught! I should have known the rule! We need to stop making excuses for our student athletes and hold them accountable for their actions. They are going to have to learn how to do it anyhow! If you are ejected, the ejection reasons are the same! Thus, the length of time away from the game is fair. If a 20 year old or a 60 year-old hold up a bank, the are both getting 30 years. The 60 year old is not getting less because his number of days left on earth is less!

We've had one kid serve the suspension for "mouthing during the game'. Of course an away game where our crowd thought other team was getting by with a lot of late hits. As in your example the cops do more speeding then either you or me or anyone that reads this article......abuse of power and privilige without enough accountability!

[Stardust]

We've had one kid serve the suspension for "mouthing during the game'. Of course an away game where our crowd thought other team was getting by with a lot of late hits. As in your example the cops do more speeding then either you or me or anyone that reads this article......abuse of power and privilige without enough accountability!

Mouthing??? Seriously, Mouthing??? I as a coach will yank my own player for Mouthing! If you cannot stay composed and not be baited, then you WILL get ejected! That's not an abuse of power, that is the individually being held accountable for HIS job. I promise you that in every locker room across the state, every athlete is taught to DO YOUR JOB! And your job is not to get baited into doing something that will hurt your team! It's the coaches, let me repeat, IT IS THE COACHES job to take the corrective actions when their team is being hurt either physically or through what is going on during the field of action! Every coach, again EVERY COACH, tells their players to not take actions into their own hands! When you do, you get punished!

[fancyfeet]

What is the criteria for disqualification by unsportsman like conduct or by rule? In the case of two yellow cards in soccer is that unsportsman like conduct or by rule?

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

Again, I'm at a complete loss on this and something that no one has answered! How many times does this happen????? What if me to death, but seriously, is this a problem!!! In NKY, I have yet to hear of a single ejection! The last ejection that I have even heard about was Zeke Pike last year in the playoffs! Wow, everyone is getting hung up on something that is obviously under control! So, my issue is players need to continue doing what they are doing and refs are obviously handling games in such a manner that ejections are the exception and not the rule! So, if this puts one more reason for football players to find a way to get control, by God, the few ejections that occur will be even less going forward because no one will want to sit three games. Disagree all you want with the number of games, but if it prevents just one more stupid fight from occuring that obviously gets out of hand, then everyone on here needs to applaud it! As I said, these rules are not meant for disciplinary purposes, but prevention!

Why are there speed limits? It's not to give police officers something to do! It's meant to prevent accidents! People who disobey the speed limit, just like myself, deserve the ticket when we are caught! I should have known the rule! We need to stop making excuses for our student athletes and hold them accountable for their actions. They are going to have to learn how to do it anyhow! If you are ejected, the ejection reasons are the same! Thus, the length of time away from the game is fair. If a 20 year old or a 60 year-old hold up a bank, the are both getting 30 years. The 60 year old is not getting less because his number of days left on earth is less!

It has happened Twice that I know of, out of the four teams I follow half have had a player ejected.

And the speed limit is to make us conserve fuel lol not to make things safer. Just Saying.

[Stardust]

It has happened Twice that I know of, out of the four teams I follow half have had a player ejected.

And the speed limit is to make us conserve fuel lol not to make things safer. Just Saying.

WHAT!!! Speed limit and fuel, umm, LOL. Where did you ever hear that???? Umm, in the 50's and 60's, do you really think they cared about fuel:biglmao:

[Stardust]

http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?Q=259744&a=1380

WHY ARE SPEED LIMITS ESTABLISHED?


Speed limits are established to move traffic in a uniform and safe manner. In Connecticut, the State Traffic Commission, in conjunction with the Legal Traffic Authorities (LTA) of the individual towns, establishes speed limits for all public roads. In Connecticut, the legislature has established a statewide maximum speed limit of 65 mph.

Speed limits on our state highways are established for ideal driving conditions and must be approved by the STC. During inclement weather, motorists should adjust their operating speeds accordingly. In addition, no motorist should operate a motor vehicle at a rate of speed or in such a manner as to endanger the lives of vehicle occupants or any other person. Any infringement of these common sense practices shall be considered a violation (Connecticut State Statutes 14-218a Traveling Unreasonably Fast; 14-219 Speeding and 14-222 Reckless Driving).

The State Traffic Commission, in cooperation with town officials, also establishes speed limits on locally maintained roads. However, speed limits are not normally established on unimproved, dirt or gravel roads because of variations in seasonal roadway surfaces. Roads of insufficient length (usually 500' or less) do not warrant or need a speed limit.

[PEOPLESCHAMP]

I hope he was joking about the fuel.

[PEOPLESCHAMP]

Im with Star on this thread also. Nothing wrong with punishing those who deserve to be punished. If the ejections are starting to add up then a stricter penalty must be handed down until they come to a stop.